Local Congressional Candidates Barreling Towards Campaign Finish

Two years after falling short in his first 16th District election, Democratic candidate John Kutsch is back and energetic about running for Congress yet again.

"As a Democrat in a primarily Republican district, I'm going to have to labor every day and prove that I'm going to work for you," Kutsch says.

Kutsch's opponent is incumbent Republican Don Manzullo, who is going for his seventh straight term in Congress. The Rockford native crisscrossed the district in recent months, racking up car miles and discussing the issues with voters.

"It's important that they connect with their congressman who meets with them on a periodic basis to make sure those issues are presented in Washington," Manzullo says.

With less money in his campaign war chest, Kutsch is running a more grassroots campaign. The Democrat says more must be invested into health insurance in the state as well as new ideas for energy independence.

"Biodiesel would put farmers to work. It would put technologists to work from Crystal Lake to Rockford. It would improve our roads to get goods to markets and every drop of oil we don't use would make use safer," Kutsch explains.

Manzullo, with 12 years of experience in Washington, says the fight to create jobs and re-energize northern Illinois's manufacturing base keeps him motivated in Washington and here locally.

"Continue to spend a lot of time with the people that we represent and hope that spending that time concentrating with the marvelous resources in manufacturing and agriculture results in the creation of new jobs," Manzullo adds.

And in five days voters will hit the polls to decide if Manzullo will keep his job in Congress or vote Kutsch into office.

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